Diwali 2026 in Assam and the Northeast: Kali Puja, Lamps in Guwahati, Tripura and Tihar in the Hills

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November in India (Drik Panchang), and the same Amavasya night is Kali Puja. In Assam and Tripura, as in Bengal, many households light rows of earthen lamps and perform Lakshmi worship at dusk, while community committees and temples worship Goddess Kali late into the night. In Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills, Nepali-speaking communities celebrate Tihar. Calculated Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Guwahati: 5:02 PM to 6:58 PM.

Diwali and Kali Puja 2026 dates

Source: Drik Panchang (India). Bengali panjikas usually match these dates, but follow your local almanac. Bhoot Chaturdashi (fourteen lamps and fourteen greens) is mainly a Bengali custom; since the Chaturdashi tithi begins on Saturday 7 November, check your panjika for its day. Assamese family customs vary.

Kali Puja on the Diwali night

In Assam and Tripura, Kali Puja on Kartik Amavasya is a major part of the festival, reflecting the strong Shakta tradition of the eastern region and close cultural links with Bengal. Community committees set up pandals with images of Kali, and worship is performed at night, often continuing past midnight with offerings, chanting and lamps. Temples dedicated to the Goddess, including the ancient shrines of Assam, draw devotees through the night.

Practices differ between communities: some families keep a fast and perform the puja at home, some only visit pandals, and offerings vary by tradition. For Kali's worship and symbolism, see Kali Puja 2026: West Bengal's Diwali celebration and Goddess Kali: complete guide.

Lamps and Lakshmi worship in Assamese homes

• At dusk, Assamese homes light rows of small earthen lamps (often called saki) along the boundary, doorway, verandah and the household prayer place; many also place lamps near the well or pond and in the cattle shed.
• Many families worship Lakshmi on the evening, or keep a lamp burning for her through the night.
• Homes are cleaned beforehand and decorated with lights; candles and electric lights have joined the traditional lamps in towns.
• Sweets and snacks are exchanged with neighbours, and families living in towns visit relatives.

Many Assamese and Bengali households also hold their main Lakshmi puja earlier, on Kojagari Purnima (Sunday 25 October 2026); see Kojagari Lakshmi Puja 2026.

Guwahati on Diwali night

Guwahati, with large Assamese, Bengali, Marwari and other communities, sees all of these traditions side by side: lamp-lit homes, Kali Puja pandals in many neighbourhoods, and Marwari families performing Lakshmi-Ganesh and account-book puja. Markets fill up in the days before with lamps, lights, sweets and idols. For darshan at major temples, including the Kamakhya temple on Nilachal hill, check the temple's official website for current timings and any festival arrangements.

Calculated with the Drik method (Pradosh Kaal with a fixed Vrishabha lagna). Our calculator does not yet cover other Northeastern cities; their windows will be similar to or earlier than Guwahati's because of earlier sunset. Confirm with your purohit or on Drik Panchang. Kali Puja is performed at night according to the Amavasya tithi; follow your panjika or puja committee for its timing. More cities: Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 India city-wise and Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat.

Tripura

Tripura, with a large Bengali Hindu population, celebrates Diwali night largely as Kali Puja, alongside lamps and Lakshmi worship at home. The Tripura Sundari temple at Udaipur, one of the region's most revered Shakti shrines, is traditionally a focus of devotion around Diwali, and a fair is customarily held nearby; arrangements are announced locally each year. Check the temple's official website for current timings.

Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills: Tihar

Among Nepali-speaking communities in Sikkim, the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills and other parts of the Northeast, the season is celebrated as Tihar, the five-day festival also observed in Nepal. As generally observed:

• The first days honour crows and dogs: food is offered to crows, and dogs are garlanded and given a tika and treats.
• Cows are worshipped on the day of Lakshmi Puja, and homes are lit with lamps and lights for Lakshmi in the evening.
• Oxen are honoured, and many families perform Govardhan puja, on a following day.
• The festival ends with Bhai Tika, when sisters apply a multi-coloured tika and garlands to brothers and pray for their long life.
• Groups of young people go from house to house singing Deusi and Bhailo songs, receiving sweets, money or food in return.

Tihar days follow the community's own calendar and may not match the Drik dates above exactly; check with your local temple or community association.

Other Northeastern states

Hindu communities in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram also celebrate Diwali, often with Kali Puja among Bengali-origin families and Lakshmi-Ganesh puja among families with roots elsewhere in India. Customs vary widely, and we describe only the widely shared practices above.

Fireworks and safety

Fireworks rules, permitted hours and noise limits are set each year by the state governments, district administrations and courts. Follow the current orders in your town and see Diwali cracker safety precautions.

For families abroad

• Use your own city's muhurat; never convert Guwahati's times to your local time.
• In the UK and the USA, Drik Panchang lists Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November; see Diwali 2026 in the UK city by city.
• Bengali and Assamese associations abroad often hold Kali Puja on the nearest weekend; check their own announcements.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali and Kali Puja 2026 in Assam?

Drik Panchang lists Diwali, Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026 in India. Kali Puja is performed at night on Kartik Amavasya. Bengali and Assamese almanacs usually agree, but follow your local panjika or temple.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Guwahati?

The HinduTone calculator (Drik method) gives 5:02 PM to 6:58 PM for Guwahati on Sunday 8 November 2026. Because the sun sets early in the Northeast, the window is earlier than in Delhi or Mumbai. Confirm with your purohit or on Drik Panchang.

Is Kali Puja the same as Diwali?

They fall on the same Amavasya night but are different worships. In much of North and West India the night centres on Lakshmi puja, while in Bengal, Assam and Tripura many families and community committees worship Goddess Kali, often late into the night. Many homes do both: lamps and Lakshmi worship at dusk, Kali Puja later.

How do Nepali-speaking communities in Sikkim and Darjeeling celebrate?

They celebrate Tihar, a five-day festival that honours crows, dogs, cows and oxen, and ends with Bhai Tika for brothers. Groups of young people go from house to house singing Deusi and Bhailo songs. Exact days and customs follow the community's own calendar.

Can I burst crackers in Guwahati on Diwali night?

Rules on firecrackers, permitted hours and noise limits are set by the state, district administrations and courts, and can change every year. Follow the current orders in your city.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

Dates follow Drik Panchang for India; Guwahati and Kolkata muhurat times are calculated with the HinduTone calculator (Drik method) and should be confirmed locally. Regional customs are described in general terms; they vary between Assamese, Bengali, Nepali-speaking, Marwari and other communities and between families. We have not listed pandals, fairs or events, which are organised locally each year.

Related guides

• Diwali 2026 state by state in India
• Dussehra 2026 in Assam: Durga Puja in Guwahati and Kamakhya
• Durga Puja and Bijoya Dashami 2026 in West Bengal
• Diwali 2026 in Bihar and Jharkhand
• Diwali / Deepavali 2026: complete 5-day guide
• Bhai Phonta 2026: Bengal date